Manufacture of starch



April 19, 1938. A. H. KELLING MANUFACTURE OF- STARCH Original Filed June 12;,` 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 19, 1938. A. H. KELLING MANUFACTURE OF STARCH original Filed June 12; 193s 2 Sheets-SheetB \Q ma k Imfen orl 44/ rea /O//z' MMM/jf# 01"?15 Patented Apr. 1.9, 198

UNYITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MANUFACTURE oF sTAncn Alfred H. Kellina, Oak Park, lll., assignor to International Patents Development Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Original application June'1'2,v193l3, Serial No. 675,412. Divided and this application June 4,

1936, Serial No. 83,539

6 Claims.

are returned to the process for re-use, for the- Purpose of saving the solids, soluble and insoluble, therein, and preventing the pollution of streams which results from discharging process 10 waters from the factory.

In the manufacture of starch from corn it has been customary to steep the corn and withdraw the steep water to evaporators for recovery of the corn solubles contained therein. The steeped L corn is then comminuted and subjected to separating operations in water for removal of the germs, hulls and fibers. The usual method has been to break up the corn coarsely, remove Aand Wash the germs, grind the residue as finely as '20 possible, and then subject the ground material to what is known as a coarse slop separating or Washing operation in which starch and gluten is washed from the slop (hulls and brous part of the corn kernels) by passing the material through 25 copper reels or over copper covered shakers. The mixture of starch, gluten and water from this operation is their passed through ne sieves to remove the residual slop particles, which latter are then subjected to a nne" slop washing opera- 30 tion in a series of silk coveredreels or on silk covered shakers, for the purpose of washing out of the fine slop the starch and gluten which it contains. The mill starch (starch, gluten and water) from the germ, coarse slop and fine slop 35 separating operations is then tabled, according to customary practice, for the purpose of separating 'the gluten from the starch. The 'starch removed from the tables, usually by flushing, is dewatered and washed with fresh water in washing filters.

' 40 The gluten-is allowed to settle in gluten settlers.

The starch filtrate and wash water from the starch nlters and the gluten settler water are returned .to the process for re-use.

Application Serial No. 675,412, led June 12,

Y 45 1933, of whichrthe present applicationis a division, discloses several alternative methods Wheref by the separation of the gluten from the starch,

ordinarily performed on starch tables,`is accomplished in a particularly advantageous manner by meansof centrifugal force; the centrifugal machines and other instrumentalities for carrying out theprocess being arranged sc that, in the first place, all process waters, except as noted above, may be returned `to the process, in order 55 to save solubles and prevent stream pollution in the second place, so that the water which by the nature of the process contains the largest quantity of solubles, color substance and other impurities and' which remains longest in the process under conditions favorable to bacterial development, to wit, the gluten settler water, will b e rev-used ex` clusiify for steeping while the other process waters will be used for the separating operations;

and, in the third place, so that the solubles and other impurities so far as possible will be concentrated in the process water going back to the steeping system. No inconvenience results from using in the steeps a process water which is more or less ,infected and contains considerable quantities of soluble including yellow color substances, because, at-this stage of the process, the material treated'cons'ists of unbroken corn, little susceptible to contamination by soluble impurities or tomicro-organic action, and because the high temperatures and` sulphur dioxide concentrations employed in the steeps vlargely inhibit theaction of the micro-organisms. In the separating operations, however, the temperatures are lower and much less sulphur dioxide is used'and the material is in a nely divided state and therefore highly susceptible to the action of microorganisms and to contamination by solubles including color substances. By concentrating the solubles and other impurities, including colloidal subj stances and micro-organisms, in the process water returned to the steeps, the other process waters are in -a much purer stateand by using these waters exclusively in the separating operations on y the comminuted material the washing of the starch is facilitated; and, with the same washing equipment, a purer starch is obtained; although it may be said that because of the characterr of the impurities these impurities cannot be removed from the starch completely even with repeated washings. Moreover the color of the starch is improved since the substances which tend to give corn starch its yellow tinge are, according to the present invention, to a large extent eliminated from the process waters used in the Wet starch system (germ and coarse and nne slop separations) and concentrated in the process waters re-used in the steeps. g .i

` While the invention makes possible the re-use of all gluten settler water, with its high solubles, color and .bacteria content in the steeps, none going to the wet starch system, or being discharged to the sewer, some advantage of the present invention might be obtained 'even if small quantities of the gluten settler water were dis? charged to the sewer or re-used, with other proc'- ess waters, in the wet starch system; although such expedients are neither necessary nor dcsirable.

The primary object of the present invention is to facilitate the operation of centrifuging thc mill starch, that is, the mixture of starch, gluten and water from the separating operations, by subjecting one or all of the three streams of mill starch from the germ, coarse slop and ne slop separations to a gravity separation or separations,

which remove-'a certain amount of starch, substantially free of gluten from the mill starch mixture or mixtures, so that the work of the centrifugal machines will be reduced. This in a large factory will effect a considerable economy since icentrifugal machines are costly and expensive to operate.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a flow-sheet diagram of the entire process; and

Fig. 2 is a more detailed diagram Vof the centrifugal system.

It will be understood that Fig. 1 of the drawings, for the purpose of simplification, shows the single units where lin practice there will be batteries, for example, of steep tanks, sieves and the like. The showing of machinery is purely diagrammatic. Any suitable apparatus may be used for carrying out the process steps as illustrated.

.The numerals in Fig. 1 of the drawings followed by the abbreviation Gal indicate quantitles of water present measured in gallons per bushel of corn ground.

'I'hese figures are to be taken as illustrating a practical Water balance. They might vary considerably for different installations. A

'Ihe inventions common to this application and the other forms disclosed in parent case Serial No. 675,412 are not claimed herein but in the parent case,l or other divisions thereof.

Referring to Fig. 1, A designates the steeping system; B the mill for cracking corn to release 5 the germs; YC the germ separator in which the germs are floated 0E and separated from the rest of the corn; D the apparatus for washing the germs; E a coarse sieve which receives the degerminated corn from the separator C; F a fine sieve for separating a starch, gluten and water mixture (mill starch) from the degerminated corn; G the mill for grinding the slop and grits from the coarse sieve E and fine sieve F; H the coarse slop separating or washing sysu tem for washing the ground material from the mill G; J a draining sieve through which the mill starch from the coarse slop wash is passed; K the ne slop washing system for removingA from the tailings of the drain sieves J the ne parti- Q0 cles of bran and fiber; T, U andi V gravity separators for removing starch from the mill starch mixtures derived from the germ, coarse slop and fine slop separating operations, respectively; L and M concentrators, for example, filters,

' 35' for extracting water from the mill starch streams uum or pressure, in which the starch fronrthecentrifugal machines and gravity separators is rst dewatered and then washed with fresh water. By fresh water is meant either tap water 7l or other water containing a small quantity of soluble' substances. R is a. settler for separating .gluten from a portion of the water in which it is suspended, and S a press for completing such separation.

The connections between the above enumerated instrumentalities (referred to as pipes, although they may in some cases be troughs, conveyors or other conducting means) will be referred to in connection with the description of the operation of the system which is as follows:

Opera-tion of procesa-The corn containing 1.3 gallons of water enters the steeping system A at I0. From the steeping system 5.6A gallons of steep water is withdrawn through pipe II to the evaporators where it is evaporated to a sumcient extent to mix with the slops and gluten for the manufacture, for example, of cattle food. In this or other suitable Way the corn solubles, which are, to a large extent leeched out of the corn in the steeping system, are saved together with the solubles which are contained in the process waters from the separating operations that follow the steeping of the corn.

'I'he steeped corn with 5.0 gallons of water passes through pipe I2 to the mill B where it is coarsely ground. AThe ground material passes through pipe I3 to the germ separator C from which the germs are floated off, passing through pipe I4 to the germ washing system D. Starch milk passes from the germ wash through pipe I5 back to the separator C for supplying liquid of the necessary gravity for effecting the separation as between the germs and the rest of the corn. The washed germs are discharged from the germ washingsystem at I6 with 0.5 gallon of water. The-degerminated corn is discharged from the separator C through pipe I1 to the coarse sieve E. 'Ihe tailings or slop from the coarse sieve E pass through pipe I8 to the mill G. The starch milk passes through pipe I9 to a fine sieve F, the tailings or grits from which pass through pipe 20 to the mill G. 'I'he combinedstreams I8 and 20 going to the mill carry 7.2 gallons of water. 'I'he grits and slop entering mill G are there ground as nely as possible. The ground material passesthrough pipe 2| to the coarse washing system H which consists of copper reels or shakers, ordinarily, over which the material is passed successively. The coarse slop containing 0.4 gallonI of water passes out of the system at 22. 'I'he water from the coarse slop wash containing starch and gluten and some -fne bran particles passes through pipe 23 to consists ordinarily of reels or, shakers covered which contains substantially no gluten, is withdrawn through pipe 26 to the starch washing system, preferably to the first lter Q,l since this starch'being derived from the germ system will contain a relatively large quantity of solubles.

The starch withdrawn through pipe 26 may contain 2.1 gallons of water. The rest of the starch in the gravity separator T passes through another branch of pipe :c to the irst centrifugal N, the quantity being 4.7 gallons.

The mill starch from the coarse wash H passes from the drain sieve J through a pipe 'y tothe gravity separator U, the amount being 11.2 -gallons. 'The starch settled in the gravity separator U, containing 2.1 gallons, passes through pipes 21, to the washing filter Q. 'I'he glutenand water in the upper part of the separator, which will, of course, contain some starch, passes through another section of pipe y, the amount v being 9.1 gallons, to the concentrator L which may be a settling tank but is preferably alter, and which extracts 8.2 gallons of water that passes from the concentrator L into pipe 28. The concentrated material passes with 0.9 gallon of water into another section of pipe y which leads to pipe .t and centrifugal N.

'I'he mill starch from the fine wash K passes through pipe z to the gravity separator V. The starch collecting in the bottom of the separator, together with 1.2 gallons of water, passes through pipe 29 to the starch washing system, preferably to' the second filter Q', since this starch will have a small solubles content. The rest ofthe material in the gravity separator V passes through another section of the pipe z, the amount being 10.6 gallons, to the concentrator M, which removes 10.2 gallons oi' water that is discharged from the concentrator through pipe 30. 'Ihe material concentrated in concentrator M passesr through a third section of the pipe z which leads to pipe a: and the centrifugal system. 'Ihis material carries 0.4 gallon of water. y

'I'he starch and gluten mixtures from the gravity separator T and the concentrators L and M pass through the pipe :nya to the centrifugal machine N, the quantity being 6.0 gallons. The underflow from contrifugal N, (4.24 gallons) primarily starch, passes through pipe 3| to the cene trifugal machine O. The underflow from the centrifugal 'machines OV (3.8 gallons)` passes through pipe 32 to the starch filter Q Where the starch is flrst dewatered and then washed with 2.4 gallons of fresh water introduced through pipe 33. The filtered starch (2.6 gallons) passes from filter Q through pipe 34, where it is diluted with 4.0 gallons of fresh water through branch pipe 35 to filter Q' where it is again dewatered and then washed with 2.9 gallons of fresh water introduced through pipe 36. The washed starch Ais discharged from filter Q', with 3.1 gallons of water through pipe 3l. 4.0 gallons of filtrate from filter Q pass through pipe 38 to the underflow zone of centrifugal O. The overflow from cen-v trifugal O, 4.4 gallons, passes through pipe 39 to the underflow zone of centrifugal N. By introducing the wash water into the underflow zones 'solubles containing water in the underflow or starch zone as well as to dilute the material in the Vstarch zone. Water containing solubles and gluten is split from the entering starch milk before the latter mingles with wash water going to the starch i'n the underflow zone.

The arrangement of centrifugals and starch;

filters is shown in greater detail in Fig. 2. 'I'he filtrate from filter Q going to centrifugal O through pipe 38 is shown as delivered to the water, is discharged from the press at 42.

starch zone a of the centrifugal, that is to the part 'of the v centrifugal from which the underflow carrying the .starch is delivered. In a similar manner the overflow from centrifugal O passes through pipe 39 to the underflow or starch zone a of centrifugalN. 'I'he gluten or overflow zones are indicated at b.

The process Waters are returned to the process in the following manner: l

The overflow from centrifugal N, 6.2 gallons, passes through pipe 40 to the settlerR where the gluten is settled out and passes through pipe .4| to press S. The gluten, containing 0.7 gallon of The water from the press, 4.0 gallons, goes through pipe 43 to the pipe 44 which conducts water from the-settler, 1.5 gallons, to the steeps. Due to the high concentration of the mill starch stream going to the centrifugal system, the water content of the overfiow from the centrifugal system is insufcient for steeping the corn. Consequently it is possible to discharge from the systemthrough the steeps a process water other than gluten settler water; and preferably the process water so discharged, according to the present process, is the relatively high solubles water in pipe 28 leading from the first concenl trator L. 3.8 gallons of this Water is returned concentrator M. 5.1 gallons go throughpipe 30 to pipe 45 and thence to the germ wash.v 5.1

gallons go through the branch pipe 46 to the coarse wash H. 3.8l gallons of filtrate and wash water from starch filter Q pass through pipe 41 to pipe 46 and thence to the coarse wash H. All of the filtrate from the filter Q', 7.6 gallons, a Water containing a very small quantity of solubles or other impurities passes through pipe 48 to the fine wash K.

It will be seen that because the mill starch, or mixture of starch, gluten and water, is first relieved of a considerable load of solids, i. e. starch by the gravity separations at T, U and V, and is then concentrated at L and M,. a concen tration that can be carried to a high point, because Aof the precedent removal of solids .in the gravity separators, -the number of centrifugal machines can be reduced to a minimum and the amount of gluten settler water is so reduced that it is possible to dischargev from the system through the steeps process waters in addition to the discharge at this point of all the gluten settler water. Thismakes it possible to use a relatively pure process water, that is the ltrate from the second filter Q', exclusively, for the final fine slop wash. The solubles in the starch filtered at Q are low'because of the method of centrifuging the mill starch which involves not only removal of the gluten `but the concentration vin'the overflow ofthe major portion of the solubles in the mill starch.

The lconcentration of the starch and gluten liquor going to the centrifugal system also facilitates the separation as between starch and gluten. A denser liquid is more readily retained in the centrifugal machine long enough so that the separation can take place without making the discharge oricesso small that they are likely -to be clogged.

While the process has been described as applied to the manufacture of starch from corn,

it may be used for the treatment of other materials where operating conditions are similar. All adaptations and modifications of the specifically described process which come within the scope of the appended claims are intended to be covered by` the patent.

I claim:

l. A continuous process of manufacturing starch from corn comprising: steeping and comminuting the corn; subjecting the comminuted corn to separating operations in water yielding two or more streams of mill starch, of dierent soluble contents; extracting a portion of the starch substantially free of gluten bygravity from each of said streams; subjecting the starch so extracted to a filtering operation; concentrating the remaining portion of the mill starch streams light in solubles; mixing the concentrated material with the remaining portion of the mill starch stream heaviest in solubles; subjecting the last named mixture to a series of centrifuging operations in which the underflow carrying the starch passes progressively from the first to the last centrifugingoperations of the series and the overflow carrying the gluten moves counter-currently to the underow; introducing the starch extracted by the centrifuging operations to the filtering operation to which the starch previously extracted by gravity was subjected; and re-using in the process as the operations are continued on fresh material the waters eliminated by said operations.

2. The process of manufacturing starch from corn, in which substantially all process waters, except the steep water and moisture in the discharged solids, are re-used in the process, comprising: steeping the corn; comminuting it and subjecting it to germ and slop separating operations in water yielding a mixture of starch, gluten and water; separating by a stratifying gravity separations some of the starch substantially free of gluten from said mixture; concentrating the rest of the mixture by extraction of water and re-using said water in the separating operations;,centrifuging the concentrated mixture to separate the gluten from the starch; removing Water from the gluten by a settling operation; and re-.using said water in the steeping subjecting it to germ and slop separating operations in water yielding a mixture of starch, gluten and water; separating by astratifying gravity centrifuging the concentrated mixture to separate 1 the gluten from the starch; removing water from the gluten by a settling operation; re-using said water in the steeping operation; washing the starch separated by gravity and centrifugal force as aforesaid, on washing filters; and re-using the water from said filtering operations in the separating operations.

4. Method of treating mill starch for the separation of gluten from the starch and the concentration of solubles with the gluten which comprises: first removing starch substantially free of gluten from the mill starch by a stratifying gravity separation; and then subjecting the residue of the mixture to a contrifuging operation in which a wash water is introduced into into the starch zone-of the centrifugal.

5. Process of manufacturing starch from corn comprising: steeping .and comminuting the corn; subjecting the comminuted material rst to a germ separating operation, then to a coarse slop wash and finally to a fine slop wash; subjecting the mill starch to a stratifying gravity separation which removes therefrom some of the starch substantially free from gluten; concentrating the rest of the mill starch by extraction of water; subjecting the concentrated mill starch to a centrifuging operation which divides the same into a gluten carrying overow and a starch carrying underow; settling out the gluten from the overiiow and returning substantially all of the settler Water to the steeping operation; washing the starch from the gravity separating and centrifuging operation; and re-using the waters extracted from the mill starch and derived from the washing of the starch in said germ separation andcoarse and fine washing operations so that substantially all process waters are returned to the process except the steep water and the water absorbed in the discharged solids.

6. Process of manufacturing starch from corn comprising: steeping and comminuting the corn; subjecting the comminuted material rst to a germ separating operation, then to 'a coarse slop wash and finally to a fine slop wash; subjecting the mill starch to a stratifying gravity separation which removes therefrom some ofthe starch substantially free from gluten; concentrating the rest of the mill starch by extraction of water; subjecting the concentrated mill starch to a centrifuging operation which divides the same into a gluten carrying overow and a starch carrying underflow; settlingA out the gluten from the overflow'and returning substantially all of the settler water to the steeping operation; washing the starch from the gravity 'separating and centrifuging operation; and re-using the waters extracted from the mill starch and derived from the washing of the starch in said germ separation and coarse and ine washing operations at pointsl nearer the steeping end of the system in proportion to the soluble contents'of said waters.

- ALFRED H. KEILING.

lco 

